Tips and Tricks
This is a “getting started” guide to making hard cider for home brewers by the Minnesota Home Brewers Association. The goal of this guide is to walk you through the steps for making great hard cider and to help you learn about the decisions needed at each point in the process.
When making cider, there are many opinions as to what makes great cider, but there are three things that nearly everyone agrees are critical to keep in mind. The first is to start with good juice. The second is to use good yeast. The third is to have patience. If you start with these three items, you will have a better chance of success.
Photo by Dennis Wilkinson, Creative Commons
Terminology
Must : A term from winemaking referring to unfermented, sweet juice akin, to “wort” in brewing.
Getting started quickly
Are you looking to just get started and make some great cider? There are lots of options to consider but if you want a simple place to start, try this.
What you will need
- 5 gallons of preservative-free cider
- Campden tablet – If the cider has not been pasteurized
- Yeast Nutrient
- Yeast Energizer
- 2 Lbs brown sugar
- White Labs English Cider Yeast WLP775
- Potassium Sorbate or an extra Campden tablet